In this Disney-produced film, the protagonist, Casey Newton, chances upon a special pin with a ‘T’ logo, and she wonders what it’s for. This is similar to how we felt when we received an invitation from Chevrolet Philippines for a screening of Tomorrowland in a reserved theater. To be honest, apart from a vague trailer, we weren’t sure what this movie was about, and what its connection to the American carmaker was.

It turns out this is based on the themed section of the same name that can be found inside Disney theme parks. Indeed, the beginning of the movie feels like an extended advertisement for the park’s message of imagination and wonder. We are introduced to Tomorrowland, and in the film this is a dimension where all the best inventors and dreamers have been gathered to create an ideal world.

We get to know Frank Walker, a young inventor who is handpicked to be one of Tomorrowland’s creative citizens. And it seems all is well.

Decades later, we meet Casey, who is given the special pin embossed with a ‘T’ logo that Frank also received. Casey is a relentlessly optimistic young woman with a knack for figuring out how things work. When she touches the pin, she is shown a vision of Tomorrowland, and she is irresistibly drawn to this dimension. To find out how to get to the vision she saw, she is led to modern-day Frank, who is now much older and living alone in the world we know.

It turns out something went wrong in the creative utopia, and Frank was exiled because of this. But Frank sees something in Casey’s steely determination to not accept things as they are, and despite his jaded outlook, he believes she can fix what went wrong. Together, they journey to Tomorrowland in an amazing scene involving a rocket ship and the Eiffel Tower.

This being a Disney film, it shouldn’t be a surprise to you that it ends on a happy note. What we were left with is the strong message of hope and imagination. The fictional Tomorrowland is a place where all the dreamers and inventors work together, representing the best of humanity to build the best future for mankind.

Where’s Chevy in all this? To the carmaker’s credit, its involvement is subtle but meaningful. There is a scene near the movie’s end where recruitment for the next batch of inventors is ongoing, and the special pin is seen being placed in a Chevrolet employee’s workstation. Then we see a glimpse of the next Volt EV being developed in a design studio. In addition to this, we actually saw a Chevy logo on one of the robots in Tomorrowland, although the press material doesn’t mention the fact. Oh, and a Chevrolet Silverado pickup is used prominently as an escape vehicle.

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What the movie gives us are the recurring themes of imagination and hope. We’re not encouraging you to go to a Disney theme park to feel this--just look for it inside yourselves. We know this can be difficult in today’s cynical world. We can’t even drive our cars in peace without being screwed over for our license plates and driver’s licenses. We never know when a retarded motorist will block our way or pull out a gun if apprehended. And it’s gotten so bad we want the next president to be the Filipino version of The Punisher.

But while it’s understandable to vent at times, let’s remember that cursing and ranting doesn’t always lead to solutions. We must remember the bigger picture, which is to--pardon the preachiness--leave the world a better place than how we found it. Let’s use our imagination to find solutions, and let’s leave room in our hearts for hope that things can work out.

If companies like Chevrolet are already working on the cars that will give us a brighter tomorrow, then it’s already a good start. The rest of the work--the bigger task--is up to us.

Good day Topgear. I'm wondering if you can share some thoughts on this. Are major car dealerships (like Honda, Toyota & others) obligated to provide towing services for vehicle units under full warranty which are confirmed to be a legitimate car or parts failure?
Thank you.

Alchemy07:

Hi TopGear, What's the best luxury diesel SUV from your end with a budget of 5M max?

jcheavens58:

Good day TopGear. Newbie here. I would like to know if all Premium gasoline in the Philippines today are also unleaded? And please enlighten if filling up my car with Premium gasoline(XCS/Blaze/VPower) instead of the manufacturer's recommended Unleaded RON 91 gasoline would do harm or damage to the engine?

ronnieb.:

good day top gear ph. when is the right time/kms reading that i go to reputable car shop instead of casa for the servicing? my vehicle needs to go to 25k kms service. thank you in advance

rain.bason:

Hi Top Gear PH, I want to seek your opinion and expertise about some issue on my car but I'm not sure how can I send it over to you. Is there an email address that I can email with?

carnuts888:

Good Day,
I would like to know why KIA does not sell here the Kia Ray sold in South Korea and also why Toyota does not sell here the toyota tank and Daihatsu Thor offered in Japan. I think there would be buyers here for these models if they bring it in.

markvibar78:

Wow why is it if their is a new model from mitsubishi or toyota they always have an immediate counter part. Like the MitsuExpander then now this toyota rush.

jedidiah08:

Hi Top Gear ATTN: Botchi Santos,
Me and my mom are planning to buy a PPV SUV this December, I'm very much excited to acquire one, but I really need more advise than ever, because buying a vehicle is not a joke, my choices are the Mitsubishi Montero 2017 GLX M/T, Isuzu MU-X 2.5 LS-A M/T, Chevrolet Trailblazer 2.5 MT LT, and the Ford Everest 2.2 Ambiente M/T, I'm a fan of Manual, and I'm also aiming for the Base Variants because they are cheaper, what would you suggest from the above Units, in

@Cyverwin, if you want the X1 you already have a winner for yourself, since the X1 is a good product from BMW and the XV is also a good product too that also has plenty of goodies to start, afterall, it's brand preference and what you really like.